Antiobesity, hepatoprotective and anti-hyperglycemic effects of a pharmaceutical formulation containing Cecropia pachystachya Trécul in mice fed with a hypercaloric diet

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The leaves of Cecropia pachystachya Trécul (Urticaceae), known as embaúba, are used as hypoglycemic and for weight reduction in Brazilian traditional medicine.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study investigated the effects of a pharmaceutical formulation (ECP20) containing C. pachystachya extract on some metabolic alterations caused by a hypercaloric diet in mice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Mice were randomly fed with a standard or hypercaloric diet and orally treated with ECP20 or vehicle for 13 weeks. Subsequently, adiposity, glucose intolerance, and the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease were assessed. Adipose tissue and liver were collected after euthanasia and frozen at -80 °C for histological and antioxidant analyzes. The effect of ECP20 on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes was also investigated.

RESULTS

Animals treated with ECP20 showed less weight gain, reduced glycemia, glucose tolerance restored, and hepatoprotective effect. Also, ECP20 presented significant in vivo antioxidant activity. Treatment of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with ECP20 did not inhibit cellular differencing.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, ECP20 presented promising effects in the control of obesity and related disorders. Considering that glucose intolerance and hyperglycemia are strong evidence for the development of type 2 diabetes, the findings corroborated the traditional use of C. pachystachya to treat this disease. The chlorogenic acid and the flavonoids orientin and iso-orientin, present in the extract, might be involved in the activities found.

Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity of Siparuna guianensis Aublet, an amazonian plant traditionally used by indigenous communities

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Siparuna guianensis Aublet leaves, known as negramina, are used by indigenous and local communities in Brazil and other countries in the Americas to treat pain and inflammatory diseases.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To characterize the chemical constituents and to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and locomotor activities of the dichloromethane fraction (DF) of S. guianensis leaves. Also, an acute oral toxicity test was accomplished.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The chemical characterization of DF was performed by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analyses coupled with a high-resolution mass spectrometer. The antioxidant potential of DF was investigated using nitric oxide (NO) and hydroxyl radical (OH) scavenging test. The evaluation study of the anti-inflammatory activity was carried out in vitro by NO measurement in stimulated macrophages and, in vivo, by croton oil-induced ear edema, LPS-induced peritonitis, and zymosan-induced arthritis in mice. Different mechanisms of central and peripheral nociception were stimulated by acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin, and tail-flick tests. Besides that, the open field assay was performed.

RESULTS

UHPLC analyses of DF showed the presence of a mixture of glycosylated and methoxylated flavonoids. DF was able to scavenge NO and OH radicals in vitro and showed anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting NO production in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages. Oral administration of DF considerably inhibited the ear edema after croton oil application and reduced the leukocyte infiltrated in LPS-induced peritonitis. In the inflammatory intra-articular zymosan-induced process, DF showed a significant reduction in the inflammatory area and of the cells in the synovial and connective tissues adjacent to the joint. Also, DF was able to reduce the intra-articular edema. In nociception models, the oral administration of DF considerably inhibited the acetic acid-induced writhings. The formalin test showed that DF attenuated the licking time in both phases, which suggested that DF reduce the nociception by central and peripheral mechanisms. In the tail-flick test, DF showed no activity. Besides that, DF did not affect the animal locomotion, and no acute toxicity was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

For the first time, the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of S. guianensis were reported, supporting its ethnopharmacological uses for some inflammatory diseases and painful conditions.

Topical estradiol increases epidermal thickness and dermal collagen of foreskin prior to hypospadia surgery - Randomized double blinded controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

The use of preoperative topical testosterone stimulation prior to hypospadias correction aims to increase penile size and achieve better surgical results. Topical estradiol has been shown to improve the quality of skin in other sites, but its use in boys with hypospadia has not yet been elucidated.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the primary effects in epidermal thickness and collagen distribution of estradiol compared to testosterone and placebo in skin of prepuce before hypospadia surgery.

MATHERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were randomized into three groups according to the topical hormone used: TG: Testosterone ointment; EG: Estradiol ointment; CG: Neutral base ointment. Fragments of foreskin were excised, fixed and then sectioned for histology. For each sample, epidermal thickness and dermal collagen expression was measured by specific computer analysis, P-values of <0.05.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients with a mean age of 4.01 ± 2.92 years were included. Hypospadia classification was similar in all three groups. Mean epidermal thickness and collagen type I expression in EG were greater than those of the other groups. Collagen type III expression was similar in all groups.

DISCUSSION

Foreskin has a fundamental role in many techniques of hypospadias surgery and can be used either as a graft or a flap in the correction of the penile defect. Increase of epidermal thickness and dermal collagen observed in the present study has already been related to use of estradiol in other skin sites, but not yet in foreskin. Further studies are needed to evaluate the real significance of these findings in boys with hypospadias.

CONCLUSION

Use of topical estradiol before hypospadias surgery lead to greater epidermal thickness and increases dermal collagen expression in foreskin.

New aspects on the hepatoprotective potential associated with the antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic and anti-inflammatory activities of Vernonia condensata Baker

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Vernonia condensata Baker (Asteraceae) is traditionally used in South American Countries as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and hepatoprotective.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the in vivo hepatoprotective and antioxidant, and the in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of the ethyl acetate partition (EAP) from the ethanolic extract of this medicinal plant leaves.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For the in vivo hepatoprotective activity, rats were pretreated orally for seven days with vehicle, silymarin 100mg/kg or EAP 50, 100 and 200mg/kg. Then, acetaminophen 3g/kg was also orally administrated. Animals were euthanatized 24h after the damage inducement. The levels of the serum enzymes ALT, AST and ALP were determined, as well as the triglycerides, total cholesterol and fractions. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by TBARS assay and by the measurement of glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the rats liver tissue. The in vitro anti-inflammatory assay using Raw 264.7 cell line induced by lipopolysaccharide was conducted to verify EAP ability to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines.

RESULTS

EAP was able to inhibit all the acute biochemical alterations caused by acetaminophen overdose. EAP inhibited malondialdehyde formation, maintained the catalase and increased the glutathione reductase activities. Also, EAP decreased NO, IL-6 and TNF-α levels at concentrations from 10 to 20µg/mL. 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid was isolated and identified as the major compound in EAP. Apigenin, luteolin, chlorogenic acid were also identified. EAP anti-inflammatory action may be due to its antioxidant activity or its capacity to inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokines.

CONCLUSION

These results strongly suggested that V. condensata may be useful as a possible therapy against liver damage.

Gross anatomical features of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of blue and yellow macaws (Ara ararauna) - oral cavity and pharynx

Morphological studies of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of blue and yellow macaws (Ara ararauna) are scarce. Therefore, this study aims to describe the macaw's oropharyngeal cavity in order to supply the deficiency of anatomical data and as part of a broad study of the GIT of these birds. Two male and one female adult blue and yellow macaws were anatomically dissected to expose the oropharynx. The macaw oropharynx was 'V-shaped' and flattened laterally being composed of maxillary and mandibular rhamphotheca of the beak. The tongue, lingual frenulum and laryngeal mound (containing 'spindle-shaped' glottis and prominent mucosal papillae) formed the floor of the oropharynx. The roof revealed two distinct regions separated by a 'step-like depression', whereas in the floor, the mandibular rhamphotheca was separated from the oral cavity mucosa by a large vestibulum enclosing the lingual frenulum. The palate was hard without any signs of rugae nor palatine raphe. A smooth ridge extended caudally from the choana to the common opening of the Eustachian tubes. This study, in addition to confirming the basic features of the oropharynx previously described for birds in general, provided new, unreported morphological data, some of which may be important when studying nutrition and health of these birds.